Half of the Fiji Va’a team heading to the Pacific Mini Games in Palau will be making their international debut, and officials say their development, both in and out of the canoe, is at the heart of the campaign.
The Mini Games will be held from June 29 to July 9, and Fiji’s Vaa squad features 10 junior paddlers preparing for their first major outing.
“We have a good crowd, young,” said assistant coach Joanne Reiher.
“Half of them are young youths, so it’s just getting to know each other in the canoe and out of the canoe as well.”
The team is preparing for a range of races and situations, focusing not just on performance, but on teamwork and adaptability.
“At the moment, we’re working on specifics for the different races that we have coming up and just gelling in the canoe,” Reiher added.
Team manager Makayla Halter said part of the focus is preparing athletes for the mental and physical challenges of international competition.
“When they’re on tour, it’s a different atmosphere to what they’re used to,” she said.
“So, we’re just trying to mentally prep them but also physically prep them and just to make sure they’re still able to perform at the level that we know they are.”
Head coach Stanley Ooms confirmed the team is in its final phase of preparation.
“We’re at the tail end, going into the tapering, winding down the volume of training, making sure that everyone’s getting adequate rest and their bodies are ready to peak next week.”
Assistant manager Masilina Koloba said the experienced paddlers are supporting the juniors.
“They’re currently pushing themselves and their teammates,” she said.
“The atmosphere is quite high.”
Halter said: “They’re not just paddling for themselves. They’re representing the whole of Fiji.”
Ooms added, “Do the right thing all the time, especially when nobody’s watching.”
The team is expected to leave for Palau on Friday.
